What is a cylinder vacuum cleaner?
In a nutshell, a cylinder vacuum cleaner is a vac broken down into two parts - the main body, which is on wheels and pulled along behind as you vacuum, and the suction head. The two are joined together by the hose.
Cylinder vacuums can be bagged or bagless and the vast majority run on mains power.
Are cylinder vacuums better than upright vacuums?
It’s really a matter of personal preference. Some people prefer cylinder vacuums because they’re generally more lightweight than even the best upright vacuum cleaners, therefore kinder on the back, with long, flexible hoses, long cords and, in some cases, telescopic wands allowing for a larger cleaning radius and easy cleaning of stairs and other hard-to-reach places.
However some cylinder vacs are on the bulky side (looking at you, Henry) which may make them harder to manoeuvre and store than a traditional, upright vacuum. In terms of suction and power, cylinders can more than hold their own against uprights.
How to choose the best cylinder vacuum cleaner
Here are some key things to consider when deciding on which is the best cylinder vac for you.
Power: What air wattage does each vacuum cleaner offer? Anything over 100AW will give you a powerful and efficient clean.
Bin capacity: Cylinder vacuum cleaners generally have a larger capacity than the best cordless vacuums. A larger bin capacity means that you can clean for longer but your vacuum may be heavier. A smaller bin may mean a lighter vac, but depending on how much vacuuming you have to do and how often, you may find yourself taking more trips to the dustbin than you’d like.
Weight: Cylinder vacuums vary in weight. A lightweight vac is easier on the back and is better for people who may have mobility issues or health problems such as arthritis. But as mentioned above, a lighter vac often goes hand-in-hand with a smaller bin capacity, so this is something that should be taken into consideration.
Tools and accessories: Make sure you check which tools come with your cylinder vacuum cleaner, for example pet tools, crevice nozzles and brushes for upholstery, to make sure your vacuum is up to the task. Some cylinder vacuum cleaners come with telescopic wands, which are great for reaching underneath furniture or upwards, for example tackling the stairs. Others don’t have this feature, so make sure you check carefully before purchasing.
Price: As you can see from our list, the price of cylinder vacuums varies. Top-of-the-range vacuums from big name brands like Dyson and Miele can set you back several hundred pounds. Although some say this is well worth the investment, a vacuum in a lower price bracket may be enough to meet your needs. Or if you really have your heart set on the latest Dyson or Shark, shop around, compare prices, or wait until Black Friday to bag a bargain (assuming your vacuum cleaner hasn’t conked out by then).
What’s the best cylinder vacuum cleaner to buy?
Mumsnet users love a Henry for tackling this particular household chore. We love the Henry Bagged Corded Cylinder Vacuum Cleaner for its generous bin size and long cord length, but mainly because it is a solid and dependable machine that gets the job done. Complete with a winning smile.
What’s the best Dyson cylinder vacuum cleaner?
The Dyson Cinetic Big Ball Animal Cylinder has strong suction and many would argue that it’s worth splashing the extra cash on this one.
What’s the best Shark cylinder vacuum cleaner?
The nifty Shark Bagless Cylinder Vacuum Cleaner may not have all the bells and whistles that you find on other Shark vacuums, but this lightweight vacuum does the job well.
How we chose our recommendations
When compiling our list of recommendations, our team of experienced, trusted parenting journalists spend hours researching every product category, using a variety of sources to analyse and evaluate which products perform best. Many of the recommendations for cylinder vacuum cleaners came from Mumsnetters themselves who’ve spent hours of their time putting the products through their paces to clean their own homes.
We searched the Mumsnet forums for posts about which cylinder vacuum cleaners Mumsnetters really rated and then researched expert review sites and analysed consumer feedback on online retailers, such as Argos, Amazon and Currys, to allow us to select the very best models.
During our analysis, we researched each vacuum cleaner, considering the quality, suction cleaning power, weight, manoeuvrability, extra features, material and overall performance to ensure they performed well across the board.
About the author
Laura Cooke is a Content Editor at Mumsnet, with a special focus on home care content.
Laura started writing Swears By articles for Mumsnet in 2021 and has recently taken over responsibility for floor care and laundry content. She writes buyers guides, including what to consider when buying a robot vacuum cleaner, cleaning articles and tests products, including the Henry Quick vacuum and the Beldray 60m Rotary Airer, to help Mumsnetters make informed choices when it comes to parting with their pennies.
Laura is also a freelance journalist and has written articles for publications including the Daily Mirror, the i, Metro, Stylist and Happiful magazine.
Why you should trust us
We work hard to provide unbiased, independent advice you can trust. We do sometimes earn revenue through affiliate (click-to-buy) links in our articles. This helps us fund more helpful articles like this one.
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